IS THE CHICAGO BULLS' ROSE TARNISHED?

When you compare the problems being confronted by our nation today, the latest scandalous allegations regarding Chicago Bull’s basketball star Derrick Rose and his high school grades and SAT score might appear to be minor. I, however, do not think these charges are insignificant, because Rose is an important role model to thousands of children across the country.

I commend both the Chicago Sun Times and the Chicago Tribune for excellent reporting on this story, because it has far reaching implications impacting numerous entities. Institutions such as the Simeon Career Academy, the Chicago Public School System, the University of Memphis, the NCAA, The Chicago Bulls, and the National Basketball Association are all directly involved in the outcome of these yet unproven allegations.

Did Derrick Rose participate in changing his grade at Simeon; did someone else take the SAT test for Rose; if so, who; was the University of Memphis complicit; what position will the Chicago Bulls and the NBA take on these questionable actions? Your Commander believes these are all vitally important questions to be resolved.

Obviously numerous jurisdictions will be most interested in this very serious matter. Federal money is directly involved in school funding, and inter-state activities are apparent here, thus the federal government should be directly drawn in. The Justice Department and the FBI working in conjunction with local authorities in Illinois and Tennessee, as well as the NCAA and the NBA should all be working closely to bring the facts to conclusive action.

I found it very interesting to read the results of two different polls taken by each of the newspapers.

Sun Times Poll:

Should Simeon High School have to forfeit their 2006 and 2007 state championships?

Yes, if they cheated, they don’t deserve it - 56% (435 votes). No, they earned it on the court, not in the classroom - 43% (338 votes).

In the Chicago Tribune Poll the following question was asked:

Does this change your opinion of Rose? If the allegations against Derrick Rose at Simeon and Memphis turn out to be true, does it alter your opinion of him?

Yes - 28.3% 810 responded

No - 71.7% 2862 responded

Total responded 2862

Personally I am shocked that the Sun Times poll had only a 56% response in the Yes category, and I am equally disappointed to see the respondents to the Chicago Tribune poll indicating that 71.7% feel Rose’s actions (if proved to be true) does not alter their opinion of him. This is not, and never has been a racial issue. It is a question of right or wrong behavior, nothing more or nothing less.

My God, does truth and integrity mean nothing anymore to our fellow citizens? I hope the allegations are proven not to be true, but if they are, those responsible should be held accountable for these actions. What kind of an example does this behavior indicate to young people who idolize this year’s NBA Rookie of the Year? Apparently the moral compass of many of our fellow Americans just does not exist anymore, and that it itself indicates we are all at great peril.

It will be interesting to see just how much transparency these allegations receive.

COMMANDER GRANGER